


Nădejde

by Heroic_Euphoria



Series: Vatră [4]
Category: Castlevania (Cartoon), 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Human/Vampire Relationship, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Married Life, Parenthood, Post-Season/Series 02, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-07 15:09:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21460069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heroic_Euphoria/pseuds/Heroic_Euphoria
Summary: Peace has finally come to Wallachia. Trevor and Adrian now have the time to pursue a more domestic life with their children. With that, they must learn to adjust to the consequences war left behind while navigating marriage and parenthood. A continuation of Acasă.
Relationships: Alucard | Adrian Tepes | Arikado Genya/Trevor Belmont
Series: Vatră [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1434091
Comments: 21
Kudos: 79





	1. The Birthday

The early evening was crisp and clear, if not a bit chilly. Adrian curled into the sheets and dozed, his mind fuzzed in a half-asleep state. It was quiet and peaceful in his bedroom, the pillow underneath his head cool and inviting. The door creaked open, but he paid it no mind. Footsteps sounded and ended near his nightstand. Despite that, Adrian was still groggy. He sighed into the blankets. 

His bed dipped. Adrian stirred a bit as a hand pushed on his shoulder. He turned his head around to his husband and two children sitting on the bed, staring at him with smiles. 

“Happy birthday, Daddy,” his son Laurent said. His daughter Lisa Marie giggled beside him. 

“Birthday!” she babbled. 

Adrian leaned up in bed with a smile. He wrapped his arms around the children, both under the age of two, and snuggled them. He placed doting kisses on their heads. 

“Forgetting someone?” Trevor said from behind the children. Adrian flicked up his eyes at him with a smirk. He shifted and pecked Trevor’s lips. 

“How could I? You’re everything to me,” Adrian said with a light tone. 

“Your breakfast in bed is on your nightstand,” Trevor said with a nod. 

Adrian turned and saw a spread of food on his nightstand. He took the tray in his lap, which was full to the brim with bread, fruit, nuts, and a few boiled eggs. He took a strawberry off his plate and handed it to his son. 

“Here, honey,” he cooed. Laurent took it with a smile. Adrian then tore a piece of strawberry bread and handed the soft, crumbling bit to his daughter. Trevor deadpanned. 

“I made that to feed you, not the kids!” he exclaimed. “I already fed them!”

Lisa Marie giggled and shoved the bread into her mouth. Adrian shrugged and bit into a strawberry. Trevor gazed at the sheets and resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. 

“Now there’s going to be crumbs in my bed…” he mumbled, brushing his hand over the blanket. Adrian handed Lisa Marie another piece of bread. 

“How old Daddy?” Laurent asked. 

“Old enough,” Adrian said with a chuckle. “How old is Laurent?”

“Two!” 

“Hey,” Trevor said with a playful voice. “You’re not two yet. It’s not  _ your _ birthday.”

“Oh.”

Adrian laughed. He continued to share his breakfast with the children, Trevor leaned against the headboard. After eating more snacks on top of the meal Trevor had already fed them, the children fell asleep in their parents’ bed. Adrian smiled and covered them up, Lisa Marie in his lap. Trevor watched with his arms loosely crossed. 

“They’re pretty damn cute, aren’t they?” he mused aloud. Adrian nodded. 

“Yes. I can’t believe it’s almost their birthday,” he responded, brushing Lisa Marie’s light hair. 

“I can’t believe you had them on the same day a year apart.”

“Well, Lisa Marie came a week early. Don’t you remember? We were having cake and--”

“Oh, yeah,” Trevor interrupted, “you almost gave me a heart attack.”

Adrian chuckled. He continued to absentmindedly brush his slender fingers over her scalp. He sighed and gazed around the room. Things were quiet again after another war against the shadows. They had defeated forgemaster Issac after he started a war against the land, Vlad had been resurrected, and Hector and Sypha left to travel once again. Vlad still lingered around his castle, opting to spend time with his family before returning to Lisa on the other side. Adrian was glad, though he would never voice it aloud. Him and Vlad had drug each other through hell over the years, and Vlad had made rash decisions, but now was the time to make amends. The Vlad that occupied the castle was his father, the father he had always known growing up, not the monstrous beast Dracula was. 

During the war, Adrian had turned Trevor into a vampire before he bled to death. Adrian hadn’t mentioned it, but the moment he sunk his teeth into Trevor’s neck still haunted him many days of the week. He was better now, but those feelings lingered in the back of his mind. Trevor had adjusted to his vampiric life better than Adrian anticipated, but it was a challenging process regardless. It had only been three months. 

“You sure you want another one of these kiddies toddling around?” Trevor said, breaking the silence. 

“Are you?” Adrian asked, throwing the question right back at him. 

“Well…”

“Well?”

“Yeah…” Trevor admitted. “I know I was nervous of the idea at first, but...I don’t know. I love my kids and I love our family. It would be nice to add to it a little.”

Adrian shrugged with a frown. “I know. The children have given me so much purpose. I...like being needed.”

“You like being Mama Bear. And mama bears like cubs.”

“There’s not much I can deny…” he said with a blush. He turned his head. “Though, I don’t know if we really can. Not now, anyway.”

Trevor raised a brow. “Why not? It’s the same process as before. The serum, the magic, you shapeshifting...”

“There’s nothing wrong with the process. It’s  _ you _ , Trevor. You’re undead. You can’t produce the components needed to conceive.”

“What? But your father--”

“I know. But you’re not my father. You’re not as powerful as him.”

Trevor gawked at him with an incredulous look. “You mean I need to be more powerful to make swimmers? Me finding you sexy isn’t enough?” 

Adrian’s skin was aflame. He glared at his husband. Though they had been married for years, Trevor’s way of speaking still got him flustered at times. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Though, since you were a powerful Belmont before you turned, you might be a few steps ahead of the average fledgling. You need to give me a sample of your seed, if you can produce it, for me to find out.”

“What the  _ hell _ are you going to do with it?!” Trevor exclaimed with a flush. 

“I’m going to check it for swimmers, as you put them. Then we can know where we stand.”

“Alright,  _ alright _ . Fine.”

**~*~**

Trevor sighed as he watched Adrian peer under a microscope in the alchemy lab. The children were asleep, and it was quiet. Adrian adjusted the knobs on the device and peered into the eyepiece. Five years ago Trevor wouldn’t have had a clue what the device was or what it was used for, but with Adrian he had learned more than he ever expected to. He still learned something new every day, whether he wanted to or not. It was a part of being married to Adrian, whose intelligence spanned a variety of areas. Now with Vlad back in castle, Trevor felt like the stupidest vampiric being in the household. It didn’t bother him one bit. 

“I was thinking about you,” Trevor mused aloud with a smirk. Adrian leaned back from the eyepiece and glared at him. Trevor chuckled, his fist on his cheek. After a few more minutes, Adrian sighed and turned away from the microscope. 

“Just as I suspected. Your seed is without substance,” he said with furrowed brows. 

“I guess it’s not a seed, then. It’s not planting shit,” Trevor responded with a sigh of his own. 

“It’s alright. We have two beautiful children already. It’s not wise to get greedy. I ought to just count my blessings and thank our knowledge repository for giving me the information to get them here in the first place.”

“We can count our blessings while still looking to the future. If another baby is what you want, I’ll figure it the hell out.”

“Trevor…” Adrian sighed again, his hands on his thighs. 

“What? You’re the one who brought up another baby in the first place.”

“But the effort to have another is immense. That’s a statement, given how hard it was with our first baby.”

“So? Are we doing anything else? There’s nothing to fight against. Let’s just take care of our family and have babies.”

Adrian inhaled slowly and closed his eyes. “I just want one more baby. Not  _ babies _ .”

“Fine. Whatever. That’s not the point. The point is, let’s try.”

**~*~**

Adrian stood on the balcony connected to his bedroom. The breeze flowed through his hair as he leaned on the railing. He sighed, thinking of nothing in particular. Trevor crept up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. Adrian startled, but settled down when he realized who it was. He leaned into the touch. 

“Happy birthday, baby,” Trevor mumbled into his hair. “I didn’t think you’d want to spend the day doing research, but it really doesn’t surprise me.”

“My children’s birthday is all I care about,” Adrian sighed. 

“Hey! What about mine?”

“Oh, and you too, Trevor,” he chuckled, placing a kiss on his husband’s jawline. 

Trevor chuckled with him. “I made a cake and got you a present.”

“Thank you, dear.”

A gold locket was forced into Adrian’s hand. He peered down at it, it’s oval shape reflecting a bit of the candlelight from the sconces on the outer castle wall. He pushed the hinges open with his nail. Inside was a portrait on each side, one of his son and the other his daughter. He swallowed the lump in his throat. 

“It was hard getting them to sit still long enough to get it done, but it worked out,” Trevor said. 

“Thank you, Trevor.” he said with a sniffle. 

“Don’t get emotional on me,” he joked. 

Adrian smiled with a shake of his head. He shrugged and kissed his husband. Trevor hummed, rubbing circles in Adrian’s hips. 

“Birthday sex?” he mumbled. Adrian blushed, his eyes wide. 

“Must you be so blunt?!” he exclaimed. “You could suggest it in a more romantic way.”

“Sometimes you want blunt, sometimes you don’t. Will I ever win?” 

“You win just as much as I do in bed, wouldn’t you agree?” Adrian said with a smirk. 

Trevor flushed. He tugged on Adrian’s shoulder. “Stop messing with me like we’re newlyweds. Let’s go.”

“Oh, poor Trevor, his husband still gets him flustered.”

**~*~**

The doors to the library opened. Vlad turned around and watched as his son walked in with a small wave. It was quiet, Vlad giving him a nod and closing the book he had in his hands. He shelved it and take a few long strides over to where Adrian was sitting. 

“Happy birthday, son,” he said, his voice monotone. Adrian nodded, placing his elbows on his knees. 

“Thank you, Father.”

“Did you enjoy your gift?”

Adrian gazed up at him with a furrowed brow. He shook his head. “What?”

“The locket,” Vlad said, with a small, knowing smirk. “Who do you think drew those portraits?”

“Not Trevor,” he replied with a chuckle. “Thank you. It really means a lot to me.”

“I figured. You are not one to indulge in material items unless they have personal meaning. Trevor has always seemed to understand that from very early on, strangely enough.”

“He pays attention when he wants to.”

“I can’t help but agree.”

They chuckled, the silence returning once again. Adrian sighed and brushed a few fingers through the ends of his hair. Vlad gazed out the window, watching his son through the corner of his eye. 

“You’re lucky to be alive, son.”

Adrian gazed at his father, his eyes wide. He bit his lip and swallowed. “I know.”

“You should appreciate your birthday more. Don’t leave it to your family to fill the void for you.”

“You don’t care about your birthday, Father.”

“No. I suppose I’m being a bit of a hypocrite,” Vlad said with a chuckle. “I want you to care about yours more than I do mine because you’re my son. Yet, you’ve taken the same stance with your own children.”

Adrian was silent a moment. He shrugged and sighed again. “I can’t have any more children with Trevor.”

It was quite a moment. Vlad exhaled letting the words settle into the air. “I won’t make it seem as though you shouldn’t be upset because you already have children.”

“Am I being selfish?”

“No. It’s the fact the choice was  _ already _ made for you that’s making you upset. To know you can’t do something without being given any options isn’t ideal.”

Adrian nodded. “We might be able to figure it out, but...the effort is so immense.”

“Give it time. Don’t forget to be thankful for what you have today.”

**~*~**

Trevor sighed and unbuttoned his shirt, letting it fall to the floor. Adrian was already in the bed, curled under the sheets. He clenched his teeth at seeing his husband. Realizing Trevor was the one causing them infertility as a couple put a strange taste in his mouth. If he were being honest, he knew it was a miracle they even had children to begin with. It it wasn’t for Adrian being superhuman, they wouldn’t have a family. He knew they might be getting greedy as parents, but they couldn’t help it. They loved their children. It was to the point of obsession with Adrian, but Trevor wasn’t too far behind. The children gave them purpose beyond fighting monsters and beasts, which, for most of their lives, had been at the forefront of their minds. Whether it was a physical threat or a mental one, they had both struggled before finding happiness together. Trevor couldn’t blame them for wanting more. 

He felt like a failure. He had been bleeding to death after a fight with a werewolf, and moments before the curtain shut on him, Adrian brought him back from the brink. He never thought he’d be the one to beg for vampirism, but his children had changed how he viewed life. Their daughter had only been six months old at the time, and Trevor was well aware Adrian had not fully regained the stamina he had before giving birth to two children a year apart. He couldn’t leave them, not when he knew there was a way out. So he begged for undeath, and he got it. 

Sometimes it was hard knowing he wasn’t a human anymore. He still hadn’t fully adjusted. 

Trevor undid his belt and let it drop to the floor. He changed into his sleep trousers and went to crawl into bed. Before he did, he halted at the odd number of lumps under his sheets. 

“Adrian…” he said. 

Adrian stirred and opened his lurid eyes. “Hm?”

“Are there babies in my bed?”

“N-No!”

Trevor pulled back the sheets and was met with two more sets of lurid eyes staring at him. They looked a bit guilty, as if they knew they were getting away with something they usually weren’t allowed to. Lisa Marie giggled as Laurent smiled. 

“Alright, if Daddy wants you two here, we’ll leave it be,” Trevor sighed and climbed in. He pulled the sheets over his family again, Laurent snuggling into his side. Lisa Marie climbed over her brother and sat in his lap. Adrian wrapped his arms across his children, patting Trevor on the bicep with a light smile, his eyes closing. 

It was quiet. Trevor exhaled and studied his family. It was one of the rare moments he was truly at peace. 


	2. Snow Fight

It was early winter. A light coating of snow covered the ground, the weather brisk and dreary. A blizzard was on the horizon, though for the adult residents of the castle, it wasn’t of much import. The children were a different matter entirely. 

“D-Daddy?” Lisa Marie said, her voice soft and quiet. Adrian gazed down to the little girl in his arms. 

“Yes, dear?” he asked with a small smile. 

“What dat?” She pointed to the windows as they walked passed them. 

“That’s snow.”

“Show?”

Adrian chuckled. _ “Snow,” _ he corrected her. 

“Snow?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” 

They continued walking until they reached the kitchen. Adrian sighed. The ends of his hair was still damp from they fell into water during Lisa Marie’s bath. Though the snow was still interesting to her, she preoccupied her hands by tangling them in his hair. Adrian pushed open the kitchen door and joined his husband and son at the dinner table. He put the little girl in her high chair. 

“Daddy,” Laurent said with a smile, “outside?”

“Why would you want to go outside, honey? It’s freezing,” Adrian responded with a frown. He took Laurent’s plate and began piling it with food. 

“Snow!” 

“Snow?” Lisa Marie echoed. “Out--Outside?”

“I just gave you and your sister baths,” Adrian said. “If you go outside I’ll have to do it again.”

“Let them have some fun, Adrian,” Trevor added, taking a drink from his chalice. 

“Are you saying I _ don’t? _ ”

Trevor shrugged. Adrian raised a brow at his husband, then sighed. He took a sip of water and swished it around his mouth. It was quiet, save for the sounds of their children eating. He glanced to Trevor again. Perhaps he was too protective of their children, and maybe he should let them run loose for a little while. He always kept them  _ extremely _ close, more for his peace of mind than their safety at times. 

“Fine, we’ll go outside. But if either of you get sick, I will stake Papa,” Adrian finally responded. 

Trevor laughed and finished his chalice. “Who’s going to give you another baby if you stake me?”

“Oh hush.”

**~*~**

Adrian stood in the front courtyard of the castle with his family. Trevor leaned down next to Laurent and Lisa Marie, his cloak trailing on the ground behind him. Their children were bundle to the brim, Adrian wrapping them carefully in winter clothing he had made for them. Trevor showed them how to push snow together to form shapes as Adrian’s mind got lost in the mountainside. Life was peaceful again after much hardship. He hoped it would stay that way, that he and his husband could finally live for themselves. It hadn’t been that way for a good chunk of their marriage.

Something hit his side and startled him. He looked down to his black and gold coat to see it sprinkled with white crystals. Before his head rose, he heard giggles and chuckling. His eyes flicked up to his husband as his slender fingers brushed away some of the snow that had not yet melted. 

“Did Papa throw snow at me?” Adrian asked his children. 

“Yes,” Lisa Marie said, peering up at him with bright eyes. She waved her hands and pointed her finger. “Papa...snow...Daddy.”

Adrian chuckled. “Thank you, dear.” He leaned down and balled up snow. The children stared at him. He finished collecting snow and aimed. He chucked it, where it promptly smashed into Trevor’s right eye and splattered across his face. Trevor scrunched his nose and sputtered, snow falling off his cheeks and lips. The children giggled. 

“Good throw, Daddy!” Laurent said, clapping his hands. Adrian smiled with triumph as Trevor wiped the remnants off his face. 

‘Hey! Whose side are you two on?!” Trevor exclaimed, a playful edge to his tone. He prepared to retaliate. Adrian quickly threw another ball, hitting Trevor on the head. He grunted. 

“Fuck, I’m getting pelted!” he said, taking his turn to throw. He aimed as he stood, but his trajectory was off. Adrian sidestepped and prepared another ball. 

“Watch your mouth around my children!” Adrian chided lightly, throwing another batch of snow. It hit Trevor’s groin, though Adrian was truly aiming for the chest. He cringed as Trevor grunted. 

“I know my testicles don’t work, you don’t have to throw shit at them,  _ sweetheart _ ,” Trevor said sarcastically. He took his turn, hitting Adrian in the hip, then in the shoulder. Snow sparkled in his hair. 

The exchanges continued. The children stared at their parents as they battled it out in front of them. Laurent shrugged after a few minutes, losing interest in the concept. He turned his head to his sister standing next to him. 

“Lisa…” he said, “build castle together?” 

She smiled. “Yeah!”

They sat on the ground together and began playing with the snow themselves. Meanwhile, their parents continued to spar with snowballs and light jabs at each other. 

**~*~**

Adrian took cookies out of the hearth to let them cool. His children sipped warm apple cider at the table. After a few minutes, he served them to Lisa Marie and Laurent, both of whom had excited smiles on their faces. They ate cookies and babbled to each other. Adrian sat beside Trevor and leaned his head on his shoulder. Laurent sneezed. Adrian leaned up and glared at his husband. 

“It’s just a sneeze,” Trevor said with a sigh. “It doesn’t mean they’re going to get sick.”

“They cooperate more than we do,” Adrian said with a small chuckle. 

“I guess so.”

“How are you adjusting? To undeath, that is.”

Trevor shrugged. “It’s alright.”

“Just alright?” Adrian frowned. 

“It’s not easy being like this, living this way. But, honestly, it’s worth every fucking second.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’d be _ dead _ otherwise, Adrian. I  _ know  _ you understand that. Think about it: you’d be alone raising our kids. No talk about another baby, no sleeping next to me at night, no sitting together at the kitchen table. You would have had to bury me with the rest of the Belmonts, and that would’ve been it. You’d be pointing to our portraits and telling them what kind of person Papa was because they wouldn’t remember. All the while you’d be thinking about offing yourself as soon as your kids were grown and didn’t need you anymore.”

Adrian bit his lip and glanced to his lap. A teardrop dampened his trousers. He shook his head, a few more droplets falling. He squeezed his thighs, his children’s innocent babbling fuzzed in his mind. “I’ve...come to realize how dependent I am on you for everything…” he finally said. 

“It’s fine. I think you forget I wouldn’t have this life without you, either.”

“You’re the only reason I’m alive…”

“I know.”

“Daddy?” Laurent said, looking at Adrian with glossy eyes. “Why Daddy cry?”

“It’s the snow in his eyes,” Trevor responded quickly. He stood. “How about bathtime before bed?”

**~*~**

Adrian pulled the covers over his lap and watched Trevor take off his shirt and belt. His husband climbed into bed beside him and flopped back on the pillows. It was silent for a few minutes, both of them staring at the other side of the room. Trevor shifted and readjusted the blankets. 

“I’ve been thinking,” he mused aloud. 

“There’s no telling what’s going to come out of your mouth…” Adrian sighed. He braced himself for what came next. He didn’t know what it was, but when Trevor announced he had been _ thinking _ , it was bound to be something that would shift Adrian’s mood in any given direction. 

“I can shapeshift too right?”

“Of course. But, I daresay, you’ve put forth no effort in actually trying to figure out how.”

“Yeah, but that’s not the point,” Trevor argued. “What if I shapeshifted like you did? Then we could have another baby.”

Adrian choked on spit, his cheeks red. “Trevor fucking Belmont…” he mumbled under his breath.  _ “No.” _

“Why not?”

“There are so many reasons why, I can’t even fathom where to begin!”

“Well, you better spout some off,” Trevor retorted crossing his arms. 

“First of all, your magic abilities are weak. Second, your shape-shifting abilities are non existent. Third, you would never give up your testicles.”

“They don’t fucking work anymore, what am I going to do with them?”

“Are you drunk? Can you even imagine yourself having a baby? You’re fucking insane.”

“Hey, fuck you, don’t rub in the fact I can’t drink anymore!” Trevor said with an annoyed glare. “I’m trying to be a helpful husband, attempting to figure out how to get passed our fertility issues. And you throw my idea right back in my face!”

“Fuck you too, Trevor. You don’t even realize how difficult having a child is.”

“What the hell are you saying? That I can’t handle it?”

There was silence. Adrian huffed and turned his head away. Trevor clicked his tongue, his arms crossed firmly at his chest. A few minutes passed. 

“It would never work,” Adrian finally said. “I’m not aware of any vampire carrying a child. It’s usually a human. I’m surprised I was able to have two healthy newborns, given I’m a hybrid of the two.”

“Fine. It was just an idea, anyway,” Trevor shrugged, a miffed expression still in his eyes. 

“I apologize, Trevor. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

“I’m used to you snapping at me. But you really don’t think I could handle it?”

Adrian went to respond, but got caught on a tangle of words. “My pain tolerance is higher than yours.”

“Maybe when I was human, but I’m not anymore,” Trevor said, letting the statement hang in the air. He sighed and gazed out the window. “I figured it wouldn’t work. But your response just told me a whole hell of a lot.”

“What does that mean?”

“You  _ still  _ don’t see it, Adrian. I’m willing to sacrifice for you and our marriage. I gave up my humanity to keep our family together and I’m willing to manipulate myself to give us a chance at growing our family. I don’t like the idea of shapeshifting, I  _ really  _ fucking don’t. I don’t like the idea of the whole process of having a kid either. But it’s something I’m open to doing for us. Yet, you threw it in my face. Sometimes I feel like you still see me as a lucky drunk instead of a husband who wants to help get us to where we want to be. I’m not the Trevor that almost split you in half the first time we met.”

Adrian clenched his jaw and squeezed the blankets. He bit his quivering lip. He never meant to appear that way, but there was no denying that was the way it came across. It was difficult for him to realize that the interpretation of a conversation went two ways: Trevor took note of him just as much as he took note of Trevor. He realized that sometimes, he  _ did  _ spend too much time wrapped in his own head, thinking of his own thoughts. Guilt trapped his heart in a cage. Adrian shook his head and tried to swallow down the lump in his throat. 

“I--I’m sorry, Trevor. I never meant to...Ah, it doesn’t matter. I’m horrible. Why didn’t you just marry someone else?”

“Hey, don’t anger me more than you already have…” Trevor chided. “Yes, I get irritated at you. But, nothing boils my blood more than to hear you talk down to yourself.”

“It’s obvious I don’t appreciate you enough…”

“I don’t think it’s that. It’s that sometimes you conflate someone’s past with who they are right now. They’re not the same. I’m not innocent either, Adrian. I know there are things that irritate you about me, too.”

“Not really…” Adrian shook his head, blinking the emotion from his eyes. 

“Don’t lie. Name one,” Trevor urged, his tone more patient than it had been before. 

“I don’t like it when you tease me about being attached to my children. I  _ hate _ it, Trevor. I really do. I worry so much about them, I worry traits they inherited from me might hurt them. We lost sight of Laurent as a newborn when he transported to the Belmont vaults by himself. What if I hadn’t been awake and decided to check on him? I haven’t forgot that. Those abilities came from me, and I don’t know how they’ll manifest. I don’t know how to protect them from themselves. I’ve done what I can, and I still do. Yet, you tease me for that. Maybe I  _ am _ clingy. I’m just trying my best, but sometimes you make it seem like my best is the brunt of a joke.”

“Damn...I told you I wasn’t innocent.”

“I think we need to work on our marriage. It’s not in rough standing by any means, but it’s not perfect either.”

“I agree. I think we should go out sometime, just the two of us.”

“Really? Where?”

“It doesn’t have to be far. Maybe to the market, or just for a walk in the woods. We need to take time to communicate with each other without the kids as a distraction.”

“And have my father look after them?”

“He already has before. He likes it, he just won’t say it.”

Adrian chuckled. “Maybe you’re right.”

“What do you say?”

“Yes, I think we should arrange some time for just us.”

Trevor smiled. He kissed Adrian on the cheek and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. “I’m glad.”


	3. Docile

The road ahead was clear. It was night, just after sunset. Adrian and Trevor walked side-by-side under the forest trees. It was quiet for the most part. Adrian wrapped his arms loosely around his chest and gazed to the light coat of snow on the ground. A rabbit passed through a bush right next to him. He admired the creature before turning to Trevor. 

“Rabbits are a sign of fertility,” he mused aloud. Trevor raised a brow at him. 

“Do you really believe that stuff?”

Adrian shrugged. “I don’t know. The idea came from somewhere. It’s not something that would hold up under the scrutiny of science.”

“Sometimes you’ve just got to believe, Adrian.”

“I suppose.”

“Hey, if I wake up to you vomiting in the bath, then I’ll know the rabbit was responsible.”

“I haven’t even done the magic yet, you dolt,” Adrian retorted playfully, shoving Trevor’s bicep. Trevor stumbled a bit and wrapped his arm around Adrian. It was quiet again. A bird chirped in a tree above. Trevor rubbed his palm into Adrian’s shoulder as they walked. He licked his lip and hummed. 

“What?” Adrian said, glancing over at him. 

“We should do something crazy,” Trevor responded, his tone vague. 

“I don’t want to know what that implies…”

“Let’s have sex in the woods.”

“Absolutely not!” Adrian exclaimed, his cheeks red. He clenched his fists and quickened his step without realizing it.

“Why not? We’ve gotten pretty docile lately. We should spice things up a little.”

“That’s exactly how I like it!  _ Docile _ .”

“We’ve never done anything outside the bed or the bathtub. Aren’t you bored with that?”

“No. Are you?”

“I feel like if I answer that you’ll get mad at me…”

Adrian huffed and shook his head, his cheeks pink. “You’ve already answered for me.”

“ We agreed we need to work on our marriage. Perhaps we should try new things,” Trevor said with a shrug. He tugged on his cloak when it got caught on a rock, then stood in the middle of the pathway. “Come on. That area over there looks pretty nice.”

“I didn’t mean get frisky,” Adrian retorted, a bit embarrassed at the conversation they were having. To him, love making stayed in the bedroom. That’s the way he liked it, though he never thought Trevor wondered what it would be like beyond that. Trevor had never communicated he wanted a change of pace. Adrian blinked. That was the root of their problem:  _ communication.  _

“If you were bored with the way we have sex why didn’t you say something sooner?” Adrian asked after a bout of silence. 

“I didn’t want to annoy you.”

“Trevor, the reason we get into tiffs is because we don’t communicate.”

“Yeah…”

“I hate to think I was the only one getting pleasure out of our trysts.”

“No. I enjoy it every time.”

“Yet you get bored?” Adrian said with a stern gaze. “Be honest with me for once! Don’t try to placate my feelings, you never did it when we first met.”

“Hey! We’re married now, shit changes when you get married,” Trevor argued, his face flushed. He sighed and put his hand at the back of his head. “Alright, fine. Yes, there  _ may _ have been a few times I had sex just for you.”

“Ugh!” Adrian exclaimed, his fists clenched harder than they had been before. His skin was aflame, a hot flash covering his body. The cold breeze hit his cheeks and brushed hair along his jawline. He glared at his husband harder than he had in a long while. Embarrassment washed over him, and he was tempted to walk home and call their outing off. 

_ “Christ,” _ Trevor mumbled, his cheeks red. “You wanted the truth. You got it. What’s the big deal?”

“Why did you agree if you really didn’t want to?!” 

“I wasn’t in the mood, but I still love you enough to want to pleasure you when you are.”

“I’m humiliated.”

“Why? We need to be more open with each other, you said it yourself. Honestly, we should’ve discussed how we feel about our sex lives a long time ago.”

“You’re right,” Adrian sighed. He shrugged off his coat and pointed to the woods. “Alright, let’s go.”

“You don’t seem to be in the mood,” Trevor said, his arms crossed. His crimson stare bore into Adrian’s skull. 

“Yes, but consider this returning the favor.”

Trevor smirked. He grabbed Adrian by the arm and dragged him away. “Thanks, baby.”

**~*~**

It was quiet in the halls of the castle. Vlad sat in a large chair by the library window, a weathered book in his hands. He glanced from the text on the page to the children on the floor every once in a while. They played amoungst themselves quietly. Vlad was surprised at how docile they were. He hadn’t seen them throw tantrums or scream uncontrollably much, if at all, since they had met. They cried and threw fits, but it was never extreme or something that couldn’t be quickly resolved. He wondered how long it would be before they would enter a louder phase, and if they would at all. He sighed and continued reading. He finished the book and rose, going to shelve it in its proper place. The book slid back to its home among those of a similar topic. Before he could turn around again, something hit the back of his head. He turned, gazing to the children with a stern eye and a raised brow. 

“Poppy...Sorry Poppy…” Laurent said in between tears. His breath hitched. “Sorry…”

“It’s no reason to cry,” Vlad said, his voice calm. “Don’t throw things in my library, yes?”

“Not throw…”

“What?”

“Not throw…” Laurent gestured to the ceiling, his cheeks wet. “Air…”

Vlad furrowed his brows. “Did you not throw that across the room?”

“No…” 

“It’s a toy, it came from you…” Vlad paused. He walked over to the child and kneeled beside him. “Show me what you did.”

Laurent picked up another block. It sat in his palm a moment before rising in the air. It stayed steady before it skirted across the room, hitting the door and falling onto the floor. He picked up another and repeated the same thing. It rose into the air again, and Vlad caught it in his fist before it could fly off. 

“You’ve got abilities you don’t understand, little one,” he said, more to himself than to the child. 

“Scary…” Laurent mumbled. 

“Does it hurt you when you do that?”

“Block in air, then my head…” 

“The block hit your head?”

“Yes…”

“When did that happen? I’ve been watching you this whole time.”

“Bedtime…”

Vlad sighed. He gazed down to the little boy. “This happened after your parents put you to bed, didn’t it? Why didn’t you tell them?”

Laurent shrugged. He wiped his eyes with his fists. Lisa Marie stared at them with wide eyes, unsure of what was going on. Vlad sighed and gazed at the ceiling, anticipating what was to come. 

“Your father is going to hate what I have to tell him.”

**~*~**

It was a few hours before dawn. Adrian and Trevor returned from their outing, baskets in hand. The castle halls were quiet as their footsteps echoed the space. Adrian trudged along the carpeted paths. He wouldn’t admit it, but his legs and hips were sore. Their walk to and from the market, along with their tryst in the woods, was enough to exhaust him. He made his way to their children’s bedroom. The door was pushed open. His eyes were met with his children sleeping, with Vlad flipping through a journal in the rocking chair by the window. He gazed up at them. 

“You’re back,” he said, his voice monotone. 

“How were they?” Adrian asked, a bit nervous at the answer. He didn’t often like to ask favors of his father, though Vlad had never minded watching over the children. A few baskets were set on the floor. 

“They were fine. Though, Laurent is discovering he has abilities he doesn’t understand.”

“What?!” 

“He can levitate small objects into the air. He can’t control it, and it frightens him because of that.”

Adrian bit his lip, his body stiff. Some of his fears were starting to become realized. He glanced to Trevor, who shared a surprised look. It was still in the room a moment. Adrian sighed and frowned, sitting on the edge of Laurent’s bed. 

“What do we do about it?” he finally said. 

“We’ll have to teach him how to control it so it doesn’t scare him anymore.”

“I was scared of this all along.”

“He’ll be fine once he understands it. You were.”

**~*~**

Trevor sat alone with his daughter in the nursery. If he were being honest, he was nervous that Laurent had started exhibiting supernatural abilities. His second birthday was only a week away, and it felt too early to be facing this sort of unusual parenting challenge. He sighed and watched Lisa Marie play. Adrian and Vlad were teaching Laurent how to control his abilities, and Trevor stayed behind to look after the little girl. Trevor wanted to be there to see what was going on, what his son was  _ capable _ of, but he was the least qualified to teach him anything on supernatural abilities. He took it as an opportunity to spend one-on-one time with Lisa Marie. 

“Papa?” 

Trevor turned his head, his cheek on his fist. “Need something?” he asked. 

“Play princess.”

“You want me to play princess with you?”

“Yes,” Lisa Marie said with a nod. 

The rocking chair squeaked as Trevor climbed onto the floor. Lisa Marie smiled, a toy wand in her hand. He smiled back, picking up a small pink and gold crown. 

“Okay, let Papa put this on your head.”

“No.” Lisa Marie shook her head. She pointed at him. “Papa.”

“I’m not the princess. You are.”

“No.”

“Why do I get the feeling Daddy is the one that gave you this idea?”

“Daddy princess,” Lisa Marie said with a smile and giggle. 

Trevor chuckled. “He sure is.”

“Papa princess.”

“No, Papa’s not a princess. Lisa Marie is a princess.”

She giggled again. “Thanks.”

Trevor laughed. Eventually he relented. The crown ended up on his head along with a pink cape around his shoulders and a wand in hand. It was a quiet playtime between them until they both dozed off into a nap.

**~*~**

Adrian met Vlad in the castle courtyard with Laurent. A rush of memories came back to him at once. This was the same spot he used to learn how to hone his abilities as a child and young teen. He never thought it would be him doing the same for his own child one day. It was a surreal moment, Laurent not yet realizing the intent behind why they were there. Vlad nodded to them. He looked Adrian sternly in the eye. 

“I’m going to warn you, son,” he said, “this is going to take a great deal of patience.”

“A-Alright…” Adrian said, a harsh swallow rippling down his throat. 

“You can’t cave if he gets frightened or wants to stop. This isn’t something we can prevent him from being able to do with spells. He has to learn to control it for his own safety.”

“I understand. He’s just so young…”

“I know. You were about the same age when I started training you. We thought to wait until you were at least three or four, but when it came to your well-being, your mother and I agreed we needed to start earlier than that. This is no different.”

Adrian crouched down to Laurent’s level. He grabbed a block that was on the cobblestone and held it in his palm. Laurent stared at him, unsure of what was going on. There was a moment of silence before Adrian sighed. He couldn’t stall on this forever, though he wished he could. He knew before his children were born that was a strong possibility, but nothing could ever truly prepare him for it. 

“Laurent, honey, can you do this for Daddy?” Adrian asked calmly, levitating the block in his palm. Laurent panicked and twisted, trying to run off. Adrian was quick to wrap his forearm around his waist to keep him from scurrying away. The little boy fought his hold, tears already on his cheeks. 

“No!” he cried. “Scary!”

“It won’t scare you anymore if you know how to control it. Let Daddy and Poppy teach you.”

“No!” Laurent yelled back. He hit Adrian’s arm and chest. 

“Don’t hit me, Laurent! You know damn well better than that!” Adrian retorted, his tone frustrated. Stress was already cutting a wedge into his patience. He hated to subject his son to something that terrified him in such a way, and couldn't help but think part of it was his fault. 

Vlad stepped forward and tugged on the little boy’s arm. Laurent faltered, then stared up at him, his eyes and cheeks red from his outburst. Adrian clenched his fists, the block tumbling to the ground. Vlad turned Laurent so he was facing the assortment of blocks on the ground. 

“Let me show you something,” he said, putting out his hand. The blocks assembled themselves into a stack resembling a simple castle. Laurent stared in awe. 

“You can do that as well,” Vlad continued. “How about I teach you how?”

Laurent nodded. “Okay.”

Adrian bit his lip, tears of frustration in his eyes. It was such a simple idea, yet he didn’t think of it himself. He went straight for the core, showing the little boy what he feared the most. He had planned to force him into it, knowing no other way to go about it. Yet, his father had it perfectly planned and executed it without a flaw. Adrian shook his head and fell back onto the ground, his hand dropped in between his bent knees. 

“I’m angry I didn’t think of that sooner,” Adrian mused. 

Vlad turned around. “You forget I raised you. I had to trial and error things until I found out what worked. It’s part of parenting, you know that well enough.”

“I know. I’m just frustrated.”

“It’s part of the process,” Vlad chuckled. “There’s no need to sulk over your mistakes. Let me show you how to teach him. It’ll take explaining it more than once for him to get it.”

**~*~**

It was right before dawn. The lesson finished with good progress made. Adrian was able to topple his frustration to help his son better control his abilities, and though he felt accomplished, part of the guilt wouldn’t leave him be. He carried Laurent back to the nursery, the boy asleep in his arms. Adrian was proud of him, and surprised he was able to keep up with them for as long as he did. They were both exhausted, though Vlad went to the alchemy lab unphased. 

The door pushed open. Adrian laid Laurent in his bed and covered him with blankets, placing a kiss on his head. He turned around. Trevor and Lisa Marie were asleep on the floor. The crown on his head reflected a bit of the candlelight. Adrian laughed as he picked up the little girl, putting her in the crib and covering her up. He pushed on Trevor’s shoulder. Trevor stirred. 

“Come on, princess, let’s go to bed,” Adrian said, his voice teasing. 

Trevor leaned up on his elbow. “My head hurts…” he mumbled, taking the crown off his head. He ran fingers through his hair. 

“Poor thing. Must be hard playing dress up.”

“Hey! I’m  _ Princess of Wallachia _ , thank you very much.”

Adrian laughed. He offered Trevor a hand up. The pink cape was unclipped and hung on a hook on the far wall. Trevor stretched his muscles and kiss his husband’s cheek. 

“How did it go?” he asked as they left the nursery. They walked back to their bedroom. 

“It was a bit rocky at first, but he adjusted well,” Adrian said with a sigh. 

“I’m glad. I was a bit nervous about that, not gonna lie.”

“I know. I’m still beyond worried. This is going to be a long-term thing. As new abilities manifest, we’ll have to teach him how to control them. The same with Lisa Marie. Though, I do know they won’t be capable of as much as me, given they are only a fourth vampiric. Despite that...they will still be powerful. Their vampiric blood is not the ordinary sort. Their lineage stems from the most powerful vampire that has ever existed. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are capable of more than some full blooded vampires that haven’t honed their abilities.”

“Yeah. I don’t even know how to do what Laurent did. It’s just innate to him.”

“That’s what makes it scary. Fledgling vampires, such as yourself, must be taught how to use those abilities in the first place. He already knows how, he instead needs to be taught how to control it.”

“He’ll be alright, Adrian. You were. Not to mention, he has two well-trained adults to guide him.”

“I’m so thankful for it. I don’t think I could do it on my own, Trevor. My father is much better prepared than I am to teach him.”

“He’s old as hell. I think sometimes you forget that. You and I haven’t even had enough time to learn half of what he has. We’re too young to be as wise as him.”

“You saying something docile about my father is something I never thought you’d say…” Adrian said, a surprised expression on his face. He swallowed the lump in his throat. His relationship with his father was still convoluted, but it was peaceful. That’s all Adrian could ever hope for. 

Trevor shrugged. “Me either. The times change. We’ve been through a lot of bullshit. It opens your eyes.”

"I can't help but agree."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments on this fic so far! It's really fun to write, I like the change of pace for these characters. :)


	4. One & Two

Adrian was in a dreamless sleep when he was abruptly jolted awake. A tug on his arm caused him to stiffen and lean up in bed, his heart-rate high. The room was dark, the heavy curtains on the windows blocking out the sunset. He reached over, turning on the oil lamp at his bedside. Two lurid eyes stared up at him. Adrian’s mind settled. 

“Do you need something, honey?” he asked just above a whisper. Trevor snored lightly beside him. 

“Laurent and Lisa birthday now,” Laurent said with a smile. Adrian sighed with a smile of his own. He picked his son up on placed him on his lap. 

“It sure is,” Adrian responded. “What does Laurent want for his birthday?”

“Toys!”

“How about Daddy’s kisses?” Adrian said, placing doting kisses along the boy’s head. Laurent giggled, his tiny grip on Adrian’s forearm. Trevor stirred and adjusted the sheets around his frame. 

“Shhh…” he mumbled, still half-asleep. Adrian shoved his back and he grunted, turning around to face them. 

“Tell Papa it’s your birthday,” Adrian said, hugging his son against his chest. 

“How could I possibly forget one of the weirdest, yet happiest days of my life?” Trevor said, brushing down some of his hair. 

“What birthday mean?” Laurent asked, his eyes curious. 

“You know what it means, kiddo. It was the day you were born two years ago.”

“Oh. Lisa two?”

“No, she’s one. You were born on the same day a year apart because Daddy was really trying to kill me.”

“It wasn’t intentional!” Adrian retorted playfully. “I have no control over when babies come.”

“Oh? Or is there some secret magic trick you haven’t told me yet?”

Adrian pushed Trevor’s shoulder and shook his head. “Go get my daughter, will you?”

Trevor rose out of bed and walked out of the room. He soon returned with a babbling little girl as she repeated the word  _ birthday _ over and over again with different tones of voice. Adrian chuckled and slid Laurent over, making room for both of them on his lap. He beckoned Trevor to set her down and hugged her when he did. Trevor stood over them, a small smile on his lips. 

**~*~**

Trevor rubbed Adrian’s shoulder as he sat beside him. The trembles from Adrian’s chest made its way to his husband’s palm. It was quiet, save for Adrian’s sniffles and quiet cries. The newborn on his chest was quiet, his eyes half-open. Trevor bit his lip, still in shock at the scene before him. He was almost afraid to touch his son more than a gentle thumb on the scalp. He had never been known as the most careful person out there, and his gruff demeanor intimidated him when approaching something as soft as the just-born child before him. Adrian was intense and ruthless, always had been, yet was wracked with choked sobs as his head went lax against the pillows. He rolled his head and made eye-contact with Trevor, his eyes half open with emotion and exhaustion. Trevor stiffened. 

“A-Are you okay, sweetheart?” Trevor asked, his voice barely above a whisper. 

“I-I just had a baby…” Adrian mumbled with an exhale. 

“Yeah…” Trevor responded, his voice soft and nervous. 

“H--How did I do that?”

“Through how incredible you are.”

Adrian sighed. His sunken eyes fell to the bed-sheets before they drifted up to his husband once again. “B-But aren’t I a monster?”

Trevor stiffened, taken off-guard by the sudden question. He didn’t know what to expect in the minutes right after the birth of their child, but this wasn’t anything he could’ve anticipated. He swallowed and shook his head. “You’ve never been a monster, Adrian. _ Christ, _ you just had a baby, that should be the last thing on your mind.”

“I can’t quite discern what’s on my mind and what isn’t…”

It was silent a moment. Trevor put his hand over-top Adrian’s underneath blanket covering their son. “Let me wrap him. Sypha will be ready with the supplies to help you get cleaned up in a minute.”

Adrian nodded. Trevor gentle picked up the child that was on his chest and moved him. It was a struggle to wrap him in a blanket with trembling hands, but he managed. Afterword, Trevor sat on the bed again, his son in his arms for the first time. 

**~*~**

“What are you thinking about?” 

Trevor blinked. One hand was on his cheek, his eyes trained on his children playing with their new toys. Adrian sat beside him and watched, his head on Trevor’s shoulder. 

“How can you tell I’m thinking about something?” Trevor asked, his brow raised. 

“You fiddle with your wedding band when you’re lost in thought,” Adrian responded. He adjusted his head slightly, his hair tickling Trevor’s neck. 

“How the hell do you figure these things out?”

“It’s nothing that needs figuring out. It’s all simple observation. We’ve been married for quite some time now, you know.”

“Yeah…” Trevor sighed. 

“So are you going to tell me what was on your mind?” 

“Just thinking about the day they were born, last’s all.” 

Adrian nodded and exhaled. He patted Trevor’s thigh. “It’s surreal even to this day...I don’t think I’ll rid myself of that feeling, it’s unlike any other…” 

“ I know you’re the one that gave birth, but...I feel the same thing. Maybe not as intense, but still…”

“I understand. You see the event differently than I do, but we feel the same. You delivered our second child, and I’m not sure how you managed it as well as you did, considering she was early and we were without extra help.”

“I don’t know how the hell I did that. It was just adrenaline, I guess. I think I was more of a mess than you were, sweating through my clothes and bawling my fucking eyes out.”

“It’s okay, Papa Bear,” Adrian teased, running his hand over Trevor’s chest. “You’re strong on the outside, but fuzzy on the inside.”

“Oh hell…” Trevor sighed with a smile. “I suppose you’re right.”

**~*~**

It was the dead of night. The Belmont family stood in the courtyard, the children schreeking and giggling with joy. Before them was a castle playset big enough for them to climb on and run through, topped off with a drawbridge and slide. Adrian and Trevor glanced at each other. Laurent ran towards it, his sister right behind him. They entered through the drawbridge and began exploring their new playset. Adrian looked to his father. 

“You...You didn’t have to build them something so grandiose…” he said quietly. 

Vlad shrugged. “I didn’t have anything else planned. It was entertaining enough building it.”

“And I’m assuming not even mildly challenging?” 

“Not at all,” Vlad said, turning around and taking a step. “I have an experiment in the alchemy lab I must finish.”

With that, he left the parents alone with the children. Adrian sighed and gazed down to his hands as Trevor watched their children play. It was quiet between them for a few minutes. 

“Did we get upstaged by your father?” Trevor finally mumbled. 

“Yes…” Adrian mumbled back. 

“He blew our gifts out of the water with this one.”

“I can’t disagree…”

“Fuck...We’re the parents! We’re supposed to have the fanciest gifts for our kids!”

“Are you angry at him?” Adrian asked, his face worried. Trevor shook his head with a shrug. 

“No. It looks fun as hell. If they enjoy it, I’m not going to complain…” He paused. “This just means I’ll have to figure out how to upstage before I get upstaged.”

Adrian chuckled. “I’ll champion you, Trevor,” he said. He walked off to join the children in the adventure forming within the small castle walls. 

**~*~**

A week passed. Life carried on as usual. Adrian scrubbed the tub in his bedroom one evening while his children napped. A cloth was dipped into a bucket full of suds, then swiped across the bottom of the tub. It was quiet, relaxing even. Adrian got lost in his strokes and the soap bubbles until something hit him. He jumped, the bucket of water tumbling and spilling across the floor. He turned around to meet his husband’s smirk. 

“Did you slap my ass?” Adrian said with a disapproving huff. 

“I don’t know, did it  _ feel  _ like I slapped your ass?” Trevor said, standing over him with one hand on his hip. 

Adrian narrowed his brows. He picked up the bucket and lurched it forward. The little water remaining inside splashed onto Trevor’s clothing. “Did it  _ feel _ like I just threw water at you?” he retorted. 

They chuckled. Trevor took a dry towel and wiped the water off the floor. He gave his hand for Adrian to take, pulling him from the floor. Adrian lightly punched his shoulder before returning to their bedroom The drawer to his nightstand opened, and from it a thick-bristled brush was from within. Adrian sat on the bed. Before he could begin to brush his hair, the brush was taken from his hand. He smiled lightly, turning so his husband to brush through his hair. It was quiet as small knots were pulled out and away, the sensation soothing his scalp. 

The door was pushed open. The couple both turned their heads at the same time to see their son standing in the doorway. He toddled his way across the room. Trevor shook his head with soft disapproval. 

“You’re not sleeping in our bed tonight, kiddo,” he said. 

“Papa…” Laurent mumbled. He sniffled and rubbed his eyes. Adrian watched him carefully, but bit his lip. 

“No, Laurent. I’m sorry. You’re a big boy, you can sleep in your own bed,” Trevor said, putting the brush on the nightstand. 

“My bed dirty….” 

“Why? Did you have an accident?”

“No…” 

“Then it’s not dirty. You’re fine to sleep in your room. You’re not alone, remember. Your sister’s with you.”

“Dirty…” Laurent insisted, crossing his arms with a pout. 

Adrian shook his head, his brow furrowed. He stood and walked out of the room. Trevor sighed and loosely crossed his arms, his son still starting at him with bright eyes that outshined the dimmer parts of the room. They only stared at each other, nothing said between them. Some of the sternness on Trevor’s face softened. When he really got a look at them, his kids were too adorable to stay frustrated with. Not that he was one to use the word  _ adorable _ out loud. 

It was long before the door was flung back open from where it was partially cracked. Adrian rushed through, on his knees in front of Laurent in an instant. His eyes scanned the child from head-to-toe, his hand going to the boy’s forehead. 

“Oh, honey,” he breathed, “are you okay? Tell Daddy what’s wrong?”

“My bed dirty…” Laurent said again. 

“Yes, but...do you hurt anywhere?”

“What’s wrong, Adrian?” Trevor asked, sitting up a bit straighter. Adrian glanced back at him and shook his head. 

“He vomited in the bed.”

“What? Why didn’t you just tell us that, Laurent?!” Trevor exclaimed. “You’re making me look like an asshole for telling you to get back in it!”

“He’s two, Trevor! He can’t articulate everything he wants to say yet! He may be a bit advanced for his age, but he’s still only twenty-four months old! Stop expecting so much out of him!”

Trevor sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fuck, fine, _ fine _ ...just forget that. Does your stomach hurt, Laurent?”

“No…” Laurent shook his head. 

“It’s okay to say so. If you’re really hurting, let us know so we can help you.”

“It not hurting…”

“Damn it!” Adrian cut in, frustration in his voice. “This is my fault.  _ Again _ .”

“What? Why?” Trevor asked. 

“Sometimes children with vampiric blood have trouble digesting regular food in the first years of life. Every once in awhile I would vomit up my meals until I was about six or seven. In those times my father would give me animal blood to sate my hunger. I’ve never drank human blood, that was always strictly forbidden by the mother’s requests.”

“You think that’s what this is?”

“Yes, because when I would vomit it came without warning because it was never painful. It made me feel a bit queasy before it happened, but no aches or pains ever accompanied it. My body just wouldn’t fully digest it, so it would expel it.” 

“Damn…’ Trevor sighed. “As long as it’s not dangerous to his health, we can deal with it.”

“It’s not dangerous. It’s just two opposites sides fighting for dominance. It might not occur in him as often since he’s only a fourth vampiric.”

“But it’s a fourth of Dracula’s blood.”

“I know…” Adrian exhaled, brushing the boy’s hair with his fingers. “God, Trevor, I’m terrified. He’s going to be so  _ fucking  _ powerful when he’s older. A Belmont heir with Dracula’s blood….”

“It’s fucking badass. I can’t wait.”

“Laurent a badass…” the little boy said with a giggle. Trevor laughed. 

“Hell yeah, kid!” 

Adrian cringed. He let go a long breath and picked up Laurent. “ Let’s have a bath. Afterward Daddy will make you something to eat, then we’ll go to sleep in Daddy’s bed, okay?”

“Okay.”

Trevor sighed and stood. He went to follow Adrian when he was stopped with a hand on his chest. “Trevor, love, can you clean up his sheets? I need to take care of my baby boy…” he cooed to Laurent, kissing on him the cheek. Laurent giggled. 

“Alright, Adrian.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me so long to update this! Sorry about that!
> 
> I'm thinking of doing a bit of a time skip to when the children are a little older. :)
> 
> Thank you for reading!!


End file.
